CARSON, Calif. – David Beckham says he's moved past his suspension for “conduct unacceptable and detrimental to the league’s public image,” but that doesn't mean he's fine with how it played out.
The Galaxy midfielder sat out the last two games following his actions at the end and immediately following LA's loss June 30 at San Jose, and in his first media session since – in advance of Saturday night's match at Portland – he lashed out at his critics and Major League Soccer's Disciplinary Committee when asked if the ban had been fair.
“I think you got to ask the people that decide these decisions, because they seem to miss everything else aside from the main talking point,” Beckham said following the Galaxy's training session Thursday morning at The Home Depot Center. “They miss everything else going on around them. I think Bruce [Arena, head coach] has said it already about the referee not having control of the game.”
Arena did say that, and he was fined for it. Beckham, frustrated with what he perceived as time-wasting, kicked a ball from the sideline during a stoppage late in the Galaxy's 4-3 defeat that struck Earthquakes midfielder Sam Cronin, sitting on the ground in front of San Jose's goal, and referee Hilario Grajeda.
Grajeda issued Beckham a yellow card, which forced him out of the Fourth of July loss to Philadelphia for accumulation. The Disciplinary Committee added a second game – last weekend's victory at Chicago – for “confrontational and provocative behavior” after he had to be separated from Earthquakes players following the final whistle.
“Did I deserve a yellow card? Yeah, I probably did deserve a yellow card. Because of my reaction,” Beckham said. “But did I deserve the second game? That's for other people to talk about, and other people talk about it very well, by the way.”
Many critics thought the penalty too light, that Beckham should have received a three- or even four-game suspension all told.
“Yeah, well, they're the jealous ones, unfortunately,” he said. “They're the ones that like to sit in front of the TV and discuss my life even when I'm not playing the game. Maybe I'm at a tennis game – they like to discuss that. There's people that maybe like to get in the limelight a little too much.”
Beckham, of course, was spotted at the Wimbledon men's final on Sunday, hours before LA beat Chicago. But he has no regrets.
“I never regret anything in my life, in my career,” he said. “There's moments I wish hadn't happened, but I always try to go through life and my career never regretting stuff. It's over and done with now, as far as I'm concerned.”
